Chapter 22

The day came sooner than expected. Allisa’s hands were fully healed, and she seemed desperate to depart.

“Am I allowed to tag along?” I asked.

Allisa stared at me and then at Nike, and remained quiet. Her silence carried subtle hostility in it. ‘You are not.’

“Of course you can, silly!” Joanne said as she gave me a hug. “Why would we leave without you?”

Whichever charm Joanne had over Allisa, it was more than enough to prevent the loud-mouthed elf from objecting.

“You guys don’t have to go,” Jasper said.

It was easy for her to say that. She clearly wanted me and Nike to stay to continue writing her encyclopedia.

“I would like to hear that come from the mouth of your master,” I responded.

Baal was nowhere to be seen. For the past couple of days, he was avoiding everybody but Jasper.

“Look, he is a big boy. His brain is wired differently. Please give him another chance,” Jasper said.

“Yeah Berry, if you wish to stay, then stay. Joanne and I do not wish to be a burden to you,” Allisa said. “Isn’t that right Joanne?”

This bitch.

“I… I guess… that is true,” Joanne said. Lowering her gaze to the floor.

How dare she trick Joanne like that? Alright, very well.

“A burden!? Noooo. You guys are my friends!” I hugged Joanne strongly.

Allisa was so embarrassed that she blushed.

“We… we can’t t-take that thing!” Allisa shouted, as she pointed at Nike. “The humans and the church would be onto us!”

“Foolish elf. I can change my appearance at will,” Nike said, immediately morphing her armor away.

Without the macabre insectoid armor, her slender body, combined with her beautiful long hair, made her look like a monarch from a very distant land.

While everyone looked in awe at the now naked mantis. Nike kept a rather emotionless stare.

We invited Jasper to run away with us. But she decided to remain loyal to her master.

On our way to Cantril, we walked for days. But, unlike at the beginning, the demi-humans avoided us. It was hard to tell if this was because of my newly obtained strength, or because they feared the mighty mantis. Either way, we reached the human city without issues.

Once in Cantril. At Allisa’s insistence, we made a quick stop at Belfar’s residence, which happened to be at the very core of the city. His residence was very well guarded by a platoon of Ax welding cat girls.

Allisa convinced the cat-girls to let us through the gate after shouting at the Household commander, who she knew by name. That this bluff had worked was sign that Belfar himself was still stuck in the badlands and had not notified his household guard that Allisa had deserted him. Inside the manor, Allisa recovered her belongings and looted all the gold that was not behind a safe. She also broke into Belfar’s office after blasting the warded door open. The demi-humans got very suspicious, and they came onto us with their weapons drawn. But their hisses were silenced when Allisa shouted at them.

“These are orders from Lord Belfar himself,” she said. Allisa’s enraged frown made the cat-girls shake in terror.

It had become obvious that Allisa held some form of power over them. Perhaps she punished the demi-humans on Belfar’s behalf whenever he was displeased with them.

Either way, the demi-humans - knowing very well that their master was a chaotic man - found this a believable explanation for the violent intrusion into his office. They quickly scattered, and we were able to freely loot the office.

The office was packed with document after document, of rumors and explanations as to why demi-humans could not speak the language of man. Maps of the badlands were nailed to every wall in the office. It seems like Belfar had spent a considerable amount of resources and time in this research of his. For what purpose he cared so much, it was unknown.

“Is that a dragon?” Joanne asked, as she pointed towards one of the sketches on the wall.

Allisa did not even bother to look at Joanne. She seemed to have little interest in Belfar’s research and instead; she was looting the place in search of another more obscure document.

“Don’t worry about it. Just another human fairy tale to justify their imperialism and superiority over other races,” Allisa said. “If dragons are truly real, and their scales are stronger than steel, as the tales say, then how come they are always slain by humans with swords made of steel?”

As the only reincarnator in the room, I was the only one that chuckled at the irony of an elf calling a dragon a fairy tale. But if I had learned something from grinding RPG games, is that.. If there are dungeons and magic, then there is no way dragons are not real.

“Yes, that is a dragon,” I said. “They have to be real.”

“I agree with Berry. Dragons are real,” Nike said.

“Ah, do not let Belfar and his sketches drag you into his delusions. That man believes his own lies,” Allisa said.

The elf triumphantly pulled a dusted scroll. “Let’s go,” she said.

“A dusty scroll!?” I asked. It seemed like something of so little value, and yet this office had so much research that could be worth a fortune.

“Yes. Once I show this to the Grand Master, he will have no choice but to offer his protection,” Allisa said.

“I thought you said you knew someone who would be willing to give us shelter,” I said.

“Yes. And that would be no other than The Hero, Legendary Wizard and Lord of The Escolae Magia Acedemica - Grand Maister Felenhar.”

Nike immediately spat. “Cursed be his name,” she said.

“See, this is why we are not taking you with us. You are staying at the Inn. And you better not move a single inch,” Allisa said while pointing her finger.

“Or what,” Nike said.

“Or I will end you,” Allisa said.

“I would like to see you try,” Nike said.

“The two of you, stop,” I said.

Nike immediately fell on one knee.

Maybe I should have picked a better choice of words.

“And what makes you think you could force someone who sounds so important to do as you wish?” I asked.

“Oh, I am not. But this document will,” she said. “You’ll see.”

I did not know what that meant. But she sounded very confident of her plan. With the money that we looted from Belfar’s house, we rented a big room in one of the local inns and got ready to depart towards the Academy.

“You stay here,” Allisa said.

“Why?” Nike asked.

“Whichever magic or trick you might be using to disguise yourself as a human… It will not deceive the mages of the academy,” Allisa continued.

“Master, the elf is mistaken. If I summon my main body and dismount it, then my human looks will not be an illusion, but an extension of my true form,” Nike said. Her voice cold and monotonous as ever.

“Then you must truly think that The Grand Master is stupid,” Allisa said.

Taking Nike sounded like a substantial risk, for no gain. “I order you to stay here,” I said.

With the matter settled, we headed towards the Academy.

Joanne just quietly followed right behind us.